Casing or covering of books



April 1, 1958 G. R. L. WEBB cAsING 0R CQVERING 0F Books 3 Sheets-Shea?.1

Filed May 1o, 1955 dit@ /o u I: @WNW ma ,WA T N MW M n M w Q \\\N\ 1/ NNApril l, 1958 G. R. 1 WEBB 2,829,228

CASING OR'COVERING OF' BOOKS Filed May l0, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2iNvENToR R65 PAK/10mn M750/.L /E

BY MM M0( ATTORNEYS April l, 1958 G. R. 1 WEBB 2,829,228

' CASING OR COVERING 0F BOOKS Filed May l0, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 35a vFWB-4; INVEN-rosz A 35 Gio/wf Rar/ramo mysan M555 u) BY I MGA/a AMO(ATToRNEYs United States Patent CASING R COVERING OF BOOKS George RaymondLamboil Webb, Radlett, England Application May 10, 1955, Serial No.507,363

3 Claims. (Cl. 2159-1053) This invention relates to the casing orcovering of books.

In the casing or covering of books, i. e., the application of a cover tothe bound book-usually referred to in the trade as its casing-theprocedure is first to apply a glue, paste or other adhesive to the endsof the sheets at one end or side of the bound book and then apply thecasing or cover causing it to adhere rmly to the pasted ends of thesheets.

This latter step is usually accomplished by placing the cased or coveredbook in a press and letting it remain there until the adhesive isthoroughly dry, so that any warping or distortion is prevented. This isan inconvenient process in that it is slow and involves the use of anumber of presses which are costly and take up considerable floor space.For this reason machinery has already been proposed by means of whichthe drying process is expedited by the application of direct heat to thecover of the book. Such known machines, however, involve complications,and although satisfactory in practice, so far as their functioning isconcerned, they are expensive in capital outlay and thus only suitablefor large scale production.

There are, however, large numbers of book binding establishments ofsmall and medium capacity, and the object of the present invention is toprovide a method and apparatus which in ultimate function comparesfavourably with the known methods and machinery but will be far lesscostly to operate and install.

The method according to the present invention consists in applying anadhesive to the appropriate areas of a bound book or to a cover to besecured to the bound book placing the cover on the bound book after theadhesive has been applied, placing the bound book with the cover appliedthereto in a press to press the cover against the book at the areas towhich adhesive has been applied and finally passing a high frequencyelectric current into, through or around said bound book and cover toexpedite the drying of the adhesive without the application of directheat.

The apparatus for carrying out the invention consists broadly of a presscomprising pressure members made of insulating material and adapted toapply pressure to the bound book, said pressure members being providedwith a plurality of spaced electrodes adapted to be connected with asource of electric current and to cause a high fre* quency electriccurrent to pass into, around or through the bound book and cover.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood oneparticular embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example,with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is avertical Section through the apparatus aecording to theinvention on the line l-I of Figure 2,

' Figure 2 is a plan view thereof,

.Figure 3 is a front elevation of the apparatus and,

Figure4 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of one of thepressure members of the'apparatus.

Referring now to these drawings the apparatus comprises generally apneumatically operated press having two horizontally disposed pressuremembers 5 and 6 between which a bound book 7 is adapted to be pressedunder pneumatic pressure, whereby the sides of the cover are pressedfirmly against the bound book, a pressure member 3 adapted to pressresiliently against the back of the bo-und book under spring pressure,whereby the back of the cover is pressed firmly against the back of thebook, and a pressure member 9 adapted to be pressed mechanically againstthe front of the book to press the book against the pressure member 8.The lower pressure member 5 is in the form of a block rigidly mounted ona plate 1@ which is in turn rigidly mounted on a supporting base orframe formed from I-section irons 11. The upper pressure member 6 is ofthe same construction and dimensions as the member 5 but is displaceablerelative to the pressure member 5. The member 6 is suspended from aframe structure 12 by means of four guide posts 13 which pass throughperforated lugs or eyelets 1d.- welded or otherwise secured to membersof the frame structure 12. The posts 13 are vertically slidable in saidapertured lugs or eyelets 14 and are retained therein by pins 15 whichpass through holes in said posts. The external diameter of the posts 13is substantially smaller than the diameter of the apertures in the lugsor eyelets 14 whereby the pressure member is not only verticallydisplaceable but is permitted a limited amount of angular movementrelative to its own plane, that is, is able to tilt slightly out of itsown plane in all directions. By this means it is ensured that thepressure member 6 will impart an even equally distributed pressure overthe whole upper surface of the bound book. The frame structure 12 fromwhich the pressure member is suspended comprises two arms 12a which areeach connected at one end to a pivot 16 mounted between two supports 17,17a rigidly mounted on the base or frame 11. The arms 12 are eachprovided at the opposite end with a leg 1S and between the two legs 18is a shaft 19 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings in said legs 18 andto which is keyed a hand operated lever 2li and a pair of cams 21, theconstruction and purpose of which is hereinafter more fully described.By virtue of the frame structure 12 being pivoted at 16 said structure,with the pressure member 6, can be swung out of its operative position(Figure l) to enable a bound book 7 to be placed on the pressure member5. On the pivot 16 is rigidly secured an arm 22 carrying at its outerend a counterweight for facilitating the swinging of the frame structure12 and the pressure member 6 into and out of operative position. Alsomounted on the frame structure 12 is a means for applying pneumaticpressure to the pressure member 6 when the apparatus is in operation.This means comprises a cylinder 23 connected with a source of compressedair or other gas by a flexible hose 24. Slidably mounted within thecylinder 23 is a piston (not shown) connected with a piston rod orplunger which at its outer or lower end engages or is connected to apressure plate 26. This pressure plate 26 is provided with two verticalguide posts 27 which pass through holes in a cross member 23 andcompression springs 29 are arranged between the cross-member 28 and nuts3d screwed to the upper or outer ends of said guide posts 27, saidsprings 29 tending to hold the pressure plate 26 out of engagement withthe pressure member 6 against the action of the plunger or piston of thepneumatic means 23. The external diameter of the i guide posts 27 issubstantially less than the diameter of the holes in the cross-member 28through which said guide posts pass whereby said pressure plate 26 ispermitted a limited amount of angular movement, that is said plate 26can tilt by a limited amount out of its own plane in all directions. Bythis means it is ensured that a, :razas the pressure plate .26 willimpart an even equally distributed pressure on the pressure member 6.

Each of the pressure members S' and o is formed from a block ofinsulating material and is provided in its operative face with aplurality of spaced parallel grooves and between these grooveselectrodes 32,' 33 are embedded in the material of the block with theirupper faces exposed and flush with the upper operative surface of theblock. in grooves or channels in the opposite or inoperative face of theblock forming the pressure member are a pair of conductor bars 34, 35which are connected with the electrodes 33 and 32 respectively by meansof conductor pins 36. The conductor bars 34 and 35 are provided at oneend with terminals 34a and Elija respectively for connecting them to asuitable source of electric current. As will be understood from thedrawing tte conductor bar 34 is connected with one series of electrodes33 and the other conductor bar 3S is connected with the otheralternating series of electrodes 32.

The pressure member d, which is adapted to press against the back of thebound book, as will be clear from Figure l, is provided with an inwardlycurved or concave operative surface to ensure that pressure isdistributed evenly over the outwardly curved or convex back of the bookand this operative surface of the preessure member 5 is provided with aseries of spaced electrodes 37 in a similar manner to the pressuremembers 5 e, except that in the case of the pressure member S theelectrodes 37 pass round the upper and lower edges of said member andare connected directly with contact bars 3S and 39, the contact bar 3Sbeing connected with series of electrodes and the Contact bar 39 beingconnected with another alternating series of electrodes, both contactbars being connected with a source of electric current. The pressuremember E as will be seen from Figures l and 2 is mounted on a pair ofguide rods do, di which pass through a cross member ll2 Xed between thetwo supports It?, 17a and a compression spring d3 is arranged on saidguide rods ist), il between the pressure member and the cross-member l2whereby the said pressure member S is urged towards the back of the bookbeing pressed.

In operation the upper or movable pressure member 6 is swung out of theoperative position shown in Figure l by swinging the frame structure l2upwards about its pivot lo with the hand lever 2b remaining in itsinoperative position shown in the drawings. A bound book which is tohave its cover applied is coated with hesive at the areas where thecover is intended to adhere, usually to the back of the book and to theouter surface ot the inner cover leaf, and the cover is then placed inposition on the bound book. The book with the cover in position is thenplaced on the lower ixcd pressure member S as shown at 7 in Figure lwith the back of the book in contact with the resilient pressure memberil. The frame structure l2 with the upper pressure member o is thenswung into the operative position shown in Figure l. When in thisposition the hand lever 23 is moved in the direction or" the arrow fromits inoperative position shown in full lines into its operative positionpartly shown in chain dotted lines. The downward movement of the lever2l) lirst causes the cams 2l. to rotate and engage the rear side of thepressure member 9 and force it forward against the action of springs 44into Contact with the front edges or" the leaves of the book at 45 thuspressing the book irmly against the opposing pressure mcmber S againstthe action of the spring 43. During the continued downward movement ofthe lever 29 a roller 45, mounted on the lever, engages under anabutment and thus pulls the frame structure i2 and the upper pressuremember 6 downwards thus causing the pressure member o to be presseddownwardly onto the upper side of the book The book 7 is thus subjectedto a degree of mechanical pressure between the pressure members and 6.After passing the abutment 47 the roller 46 on the lever 20 engages aplunger 48 of a pneumatic valve 49 which is connected with the source ofcompressed air or other gas through a exible hose 56. Operation of thevalve 49 in this manner results in compressed air or other gas being fedto the cylinder 23 whereby the piston therein operates to press thepressure plate 26 downwards against the action of the spring 29 wherebypneumatic pressure is applied to the pressure member 6 and the boundbook '7 is subjected to maximum compression. Simultaneously with or justafter the operation of the valve 49 the lever 2t) operates an electricswitch which connects the conductor bars 34, 35, 38 and 39 to a sourceof electric supply. Thus, current is caused to flow through theelectrodes 32, 33 and 37, via transformers or other known means, wherebya iield of high frequency current is established. This field of highfrequency current is caused to pass into the bound book and thus set uplocal heat and expedite the drying out of the adhesive previouslyapplied between the bound book 7 and its cover,

The method and apparatus according to the invention has the specialadvantage that adhesives with a fairly high moisture content can beused, for the current which passes into, around or through the book ismore easily conducted in the presence of moisture, and this ensures thatthe electric current accomplishes the drying out process in a shortspace of time. The electric switch and its connections are not shown inthe drawings but may be arranged in any convenient manner known to thoseskilled in the art.

The pressure member 9 is mounted, as will be seen from Figures l and 2,in a similar manner to'the pressure member 8 and is provided with anoutwardly curved or convex operative face to coincide with the inwardlycurved or concave surface of the front 45 of the bound book. Eachpressure member 5 and 6 is provided at the` end adjacent the back of thebook with a member' 51 having a longitudinal rib S2 adapted to press thecover of the book inwards at the position where the side cover portionsjoin the part of the cover which covers the back of the book.

The length of time the bound book remains in the press will of coursedepend upon the size of the book, the type of adhesive used and so on.When the operation above described is completed the lever 2G is movedback to its inoperative position, thereby breaking the electric andpneumatic circuits and the frame structure 12 swung back to open thepress to permit the book 7 to be removed, another book to be placed inposition and the operation repeated.

The method and apparatus according to the invention can be used on allgrades of material commonly used in the binding of books, but provisionmust be made in the shaping of the electrodes to provide blanked outportions of the field of current to prevent metal of foils used in goldlettering, for example, to prevent direct conduction of the current,which might set up localised heating and thereby mar or injure theoutside of the book cover.

Diterent thicknesses of book cover and different materials requirevarying lengths of time to produce the desired effect, and arrangementswill, of course, be made to vary the time period during which the booksremain under treatment to be correctly dried out.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for applying a casing to a bound book comprising, incombination, press means comprising spaced upper and lower pressureplates constructed of electrically insulated material for receiving abook therebetween, a base member, a frame member Pivotally supportedupon said base member, said lower pressure plate being supported uponsaid base member and said upper pressure plate being supported upon saidframe member,

pneumatic pressure means for effecting pivotal ymovement or. said framemember relative to said base member, said pneumatic pressure meansincluding a pressure cylinder connected with a source of pressure fluidsupported upon said frame member and a plunger mounted within saidcylinder connected to said upper plate for selectively edecting movementof said upper plate relative to said lower plate to compress a book andcasing therebetween, a Alirst series of spaced electrodes and a secondseries of spaced electrodes mounted in alternate sequence upon thefacing surfaces of said spaced pressure plates, and high frequencyalternating current supply means connected to said electrodes forsupplying a high frequency current thereto.

2. Apparatus for applying a easing to a bound book as set forth in claim1, further comprising guide posts depending from said frame member, saidupper plate member being slideably `and tiltably supported upon saidguide posts for movement in response to actuation of said pneumaticpressure means for uniformly distributing pressure therefrom to the bookand casing.

3. Apparatus for applying a casing to a bound book comprising, incombination, press means comprising spaced at plates for clamping thesides of a casing to ,the sides of a bound book, means for selectivelymoving said flat plates substantially perpendicularly relative to eachother, a pressure member for pressing the back of the' casing againstthe bound book, a positioning member for urging the leaves of the bool'`against the back of the casing, electrodes carried by said at plates andsaid pressure member, switch means for connecting said electrodes to asource of high frequency alternating current, and operating means forsequentially moving said positioning member toward said pressure memberand said movement of said plates toward each other.

References Cited in the Eile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,151,957 Davis Mar. 28, 1939 2,542,702 Prow Feb. 20, 1951 2,555,139Knowles May 29, 1951 2,579,488 Freeman Dec. 25, 1951 2,587,034 DobbsFeb. 26, 1952 2,631,642 Richardson et al Mar. 17, 1953 2,640,208 DeFlorez June 2, 1953 2,649,877 Renn Aug. 25, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 608,954Great Britain Sept. 23, 1948

